Movie Review Archives

Very Long Engagement, The	Epic, World War I French film about the fate of several soldiers sentenced to death for self-inflicting wounds to get themselves sent home. The principle character is a woman who believes her betrothed did not die in the war and she searches for him even though all evidence suggests he has died. The movie is well crafted but it did not draw me in emotionally. Still, there wasn't much that was wrong with the movie.
Phantom of the Opera, The	If you like the musical, and we did, you will like the film version.
In the Realms of the Unreal	Fascinating story of an impoverished man, living in isolation in one of the largest cities in America. In his single boarding room, he creates a world of his own. It's an illustrated 15,000 page epic that takes place "In the Realms of the Unreal." When nearing death, he is moved to a poor hospital and his landlords go to clean out his room. That is when "Realms ..." is uncovered. His works are now in museums and collected world wide. It's the true story of Henry Darger.
Million Dollar Baby	In many ways a typical story that manipulates our emotions through making us like the characters and then injecting tragedy into the story. This movie is inviting controversy over its theme. I know people close to the material who don't like the way it deals with that aspect, but I saw it more as a Hollywood rendering of a plot device meant to evoke emotion.
Notre Musique	Incomprehensible film from French film auteur Jean Luc Goddard. I didn't get it at all, but Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune gave it four stars. I've seen so many wonderful French films lately but this one harkens back to the French film set of decades past where to be art it had to make no sense.
Hotel Rwanda	Challenging film about the tragic clash of Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda. I wish I understood the history better but it seems that European colonization created some artificial class barriers within the land. When the Belgians pulled out, the Hutu majority (the lower class), exacted terrible revenge against the Tutsi minority, in what amounted to genocide. I'm sure both sides had much blood on their hands but this film creates a sympathetic view of the Tutsis and some Hutus. In this case, a Hutu man, a hotel manager whose wife is Tutsi, stretches his resourcefulness to the limits in an attempt to save the lives of his family and more than a thousand others who have sought refuge in his hotel. The U.N. resources are stretched to the limit as the world stands by while people are hacked to death with machetes. This man, Paul Rusesabagina, at least has some sympathetic management, 1/2 a world away and a courageous core of U.N. "peace keepers." However, it is largely up to him to keep a tenuous hold on life for the hotel "guests."
Finding Neverland	Beautiful story about a year in the life of James Barrie, the author of "Peter Pan." He befriends a family, a widow with four young boys and introduces them to a world of imagination. In turn, they provide him with the inspiration for "Peter Pan." The relationship takes a toll on his own marriage and threatens to harm the family that has come to mean so much to him. For me, the most powerful moments were the scenes of the staging of the play, "Peter Pan" in both the theatre and the climatic scene.
The Animation Show 2005	The Animation Show is a program of animated shorts from around the world, compiled into a 90 minute presentation. The shorts vary in length from a minute or two to about 15 minutes. The animation styles also vary from claymation to simple art to more complex drawing styles, integrated live action and computer generation. The themes are sometimes dark but are always creative. If you don't see the compilation in the theatre, you can get something like it on DVD, although the programs are not the same. The Animation Show is produced by Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt.
Millions (twice)	The 8th Annual European Union Film Festival is in Chicago during the month of March and each member country is represented by at least one film while many have multiple entries. I was fortunate to catch this one, a very nice family comedy/adventure where a young boy discovers a large cache of money that has fallen from the sky, or so he believes. The money is in British pounds just days before the conversion to Euros and the challenge is to spend, give away, or convert the cash over the next few days. It's a fun film.
Bride and Prejudice	Like the director's prior offering, "Bend It Like Beckham," this story is unchallenging and I'm not even sure it's all that well acted but it is just plain fun. The film is made in the Bollywood style and the music and mood are delightful.
Robots	The story is simple but the animation is so perfect that you wonder how they will improve on it. Yet you know they will. We saw it in IMAX!!
Downfall	The last 12 days of the German Third Reich are depicted in this story told on the basis of information from Hitler's personal secretary as well as other research. We see Hitler unravel in his bunker as he plans and schemes counter offenses that cannot happen. His armies have been defeated but he plans attacks for them. When they don't materialize, he rants about his Generals' cowardice. There are depictions of the desperate conditions of the civilians in Berlin. Without resources and without the means to evacuate the city, they are caught in ground zero of the onslaught. In the meantime, children take up the fight against the Russian advance. These Hitler youth have the faith of children but are largely unskilled. Anyone who shows any sentiments other than a fanatical devotion to the Nazi ideal is subject to lynching by roving mobs or being shot by gangs of SS troops who roam the streets. Even the parents of a decorated Hitler youth are murdered. There is a stark message in seeing how deeply ran the convictions of some of the fanatics, such as the Goebels family. The mother of five children and wife to Joseph Goebels poisons her children because she can't bear to see her children grow up in a country without national socialism. Others, like Heinrich Himler try to cut their own deals with the allies. There is a lot of infighting with some high ranking offers trying to sue for peace while others vow to fight to the death or commit suicide. It's the last of a harsh and cruel regime (unfortunately it isn't the last of the last of them). I'm not sure that we learn anything new from watching this film, but it's good to be reminded from time to time that great evil can rise up and gain a foothold on humanity. To forget is to doom ourselves to repeat the mistakes of the past.
D.E.B.S.	Not bad enough to be bad/good and not good enough to be good/good. This low budget spy "spoof" is a little bit of that plus a lesbian coming of age film. It's a little bit witty but ultimately pretty forgettable.
Steamboy	This is the second Anime that I've seen in the last year that has been beautifully animated but whose dialog was stunted to the point of being almost nonsensical. Much of the dialog consists of principal characters shouting their convictions but not truly engaging their counterparts in meaningful discourse. Is it possible that something gets lost in translation? Plus, there are some pretty ridiculous story elements. Still, worth seeing if you love anime.
Born Into Brothels	This film was the Oscar winner this year for feature length documentaries. It concerns a woman who has gone to live in a red light neighborhood in Calcutta to photograph the the women who work there. She is struck by the number of children born into this circumstance and makes a connection with them through photography. She buys them cameras and teaches a class in photography. Eventually, she tries to rescue them from their fate by getting them enrolled in real schools. The problem is that this is no easy task since their parents are criminals by virtue of their being prostitutes, and, if the father is around, involved in other illegal activities. There's also the massive bureaucracy to contend with and the resistance of the families themselves to allow their children to go to school. Eventually, a few seem to get a chance for a better life. Not so for the majority but you take heart in that any have a chance at all. The kids are bright, precocious, charming and in some cases quite talented. It suggests that in the absence of forces working to the contrary, the vessel of a child might sail anywhere that life might lead them. One very stark thing about their existence that doesn't come through on the film is the squalor of their existence. Yes, you see the filth, the vermin, the cramped conditions and the poverty. But, you don't feel the heat, the grime, the smells, and the intense hopelessness of their situation. The film frame insulates the viewer from most of the harshest aspects of their lives. The film is not all despair and gloom, though. The children are children after all and there are happy times to share as well.
Sin City (twice)	I thought this was a great adaptation of a hard edged crime comic even though I never read Sin City myself. You get the feel of a real hard nosed black and white graphic novel as the film depicts the characters with only a few color accents. Each character is distinct in that readily recognizable comic book format. There are very few good guys in this movie that weaves three different story lines through essentially the same time frame. The city is dirty and grimy. The bad people are really bad. They're child molesters/rapists/murderers. They are cannibals (literally). They are dirty cops, dirty politicians, evil clergymen, degenerate sons of dirty politicians. The women are hookers, strippers, barmaids in sleazy bars -- oh, yeah, one of them has a legit job, a parole officer. That's pretty much the mix, so now get ready for some raw, straight-forward story telling in the noir style. There is a lot of story in the 2 hour + movie. The violence is frequent and over the top. Thankfully, it isn't in color but heads do roll in this movie. ... and roll, and roll. People will either like it or hate it and they'll feel that way for the very same reasons. I have a hard time saying I "like" a film that is so violent, but I will say that it was all I hoped it would be.
Best of Youth, The	This six hour Italian film started off as a TV miniseries and has been making the rounds on the theatrical circuit. It is shown in two, three-hours installments. This story involves a family from 1966 through 2003. It centers around two brothers who are about to finish college in 1966. They decide to take a trip to Norway with a couple of school friends. Their trip is quickly derailed when one of the two comes across
Kung Fu Hustle	Goofy, stylish martial arts action comedy that, because it doesn't take itself seriously, is easy to enjoy. When people run like the Road Runner and Coyote or spin like a whirlwind, you accept it as a marriage between the myth, the hype, and the reality of martial arts mastery.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The	I'm not terribly familiar with the books nor the BBC series, and, not being close to the material, I can't comment on whether it is faithful or not. The film seems imaginative in some ways, humorous at times, and at others a bit slow.
Enron : The Smartest Guys in the Room	This movie makes you want to strangle someone. The greed, self-righteousnous, egos, denial and outrageousnous of the principal players in the Enron debacle make you want to scream. Almost worse than those who may face some form of justice are those who get away scott free. Ultimately, you just know that the punishment wont fit the crimes. Lives were ruined or damaged severely with life savings lost, but the people at the top, even if convicted, will never feel the sting that their victims feel. Also disturbing is the extreme cosiness of our present government's leadership with the wrong doers. Two common phrases come immediately to mind. "You are defined by the company you keep," and "When you lie down with dogs, you come up with fleas."
Kingdom of Heaven	Kingdom of Heaven wasn't a bad film but I didn't feel that it showed me anything new and different. If you've seen any of the mix of Gladiator, Troy, Alexander, then you've already seen everything that this film is going to show you visually. Is that a fault? Not necessarily. Surely the film is well-crafted visually, so it isn't flawed, but lacking anything new to show us, what else makes the film compelling? The story itself is somewhat thin. The characters are perhaps too transparent. Also, I found it difficult to swallow that the lead character goes from an obscure blacksmith to a seasoned warrior and battle planner in such a short space of time. Especially since he seems to have no real mentor nor experience. Yes, he has his father's title, but it would seem he would still need to learn these tactics and they would be unlikely to spring to mind spontaneously. Not a bad film, though, and I liked the ending more than what might be typical of the end of a Hollywood spectacle.
Mondovino	This is a documentary of sorts that keys on the different methodologies of the large corporate wine producers and the small, family traditionalists of Europe. Much of the coverage deals with two small vintners in France and one in Sardinia on the side of the traditional wine makers. On the other end is Robert Mondavi, Rothschild, a wine consultant, Michael Rolland, who works for many major winemakers, and an American wine critic, Robert Parker, who seems to influence the industry the way Oprah's book club affected publishers and writers. Certainly, I felt empathy for the underdogs and the film seemed to support that point of view rather strongly. The small winemakers came off as having a sense of humor, being thoughtful and philosophical, and having a strong sense of passion and commitment to the craft. The large groups came across as humorless, sometimes inarticulate, and uncompassionate. The consultant came off as something of a condescending, self-promoting snake oil salesman. The critic seemed to have built a reputation on nothing in some ways. I have to say that I didn't like either of those characters as they both would refer to themselves in the third person. Even though the film evokes passions, I'm not 100% certain that either perspective is correct. In any event, when it comes to wine, I feel that elite behavior is unacceptable. I like the idea that people should drink what they like, without apologies. And, regardless of how well one can articulate the sensibilities of the wine, if you like what you're tasting, then it's all good.
Layer Cake	Interesting British gangster film that weaves a tale of stolen drugs around several interested parties. At the center of it all is a dealer who has decided that he wants to retire, but he is pulled into this caper unwillingly and things get bigger and messier at every turn.
War of the Worlds	Once again, Steven Speilberg proves that he no longer has the guts to make a taut adventure tale. I thought he was pulling it off this time but he cheated again as he has often in recent films. I can't say how without giving away the details but this film is too flawed to be of any lasting value. I can't help but ask this, and when you've seen the film you'll know, how is it that the world is crumbling around everyone, no where is safe from the alien marauders, yet one family looks like they're just sitting down for their Thanksgiving dinner. If only everyone else had simply thought to stay home and sit around the dining room table, no one would have been hurt! Oy!
Batman Begins	Credible entry into the Batman canon although I think Christian Bale is miscast.
Star Wars : Revenge of the Sith	Better than I thought it was going to be. I guess it helps that I had absolutely zero expectations from this film. I was at the theatre and thinking, I will literally see anything that is showing.
March of the Penguins (twice)	Sometimes lyrical documentary about the mating cycle of emperor penguins in the coldest, most desolate place on earth. Their devotion and sacrifice is extraordinary as they struggle to nurture life in such a forbidding environment. It is also sometimes funny and there is the dark side of nature as death comes from predators in the sea and from the air, through starvation and the cold. It strikes young and old, the not yet born, and the mothers who would feed their young. I'm a sucker for a good penguin movie as they are my favorite animals in the wild.
Fantastic Four	This movie hasn't received rave reviews nor is it considered to be in the lower echelon of comic book to movie adaptations. I think the critics have been perhaps too harsh on the gang and found it to be a credible attempt to make the jump to celluloid.
Lila Says	French film about the youthful pairing of a Muslim boy and Christian girl in a Paris ghetto. The boy is one of a group of four that hangs together. Meantime, the girl, blonde and pretty won't give the neighborhood boys the time of day, except one of the four, Chimo, whom she favors because she senses something different in him. Lila soon takes the lead in the relationship, pushing buttons, sexually, although neither we nor Chimo understand her motives until later. The dialog gets pretty raunchy although I don't consider it to be gratuitous in this case. There are some screenplays that substitute foul mouthed language for true dialog. In this case, I felt the risqué words were used in a context that moved the story along and added to the character development. The relationship between Lila and Chimo is both tragic but tinged with hope for a better life for each of them.
Mad Hot Ballroom	This documentary follows three New York City elementary schools through their compulsary ballroom dance curriculum and the competition that decides the city champions. The film is pretty formulaic but the kids are impressive.
Duma	Fictional account of a young boy in South Africa who adopts an abandoned baby cheetah then later takes a dangerous trek to return the growing cat to a more suitable home in the mountains. I didn't find the film to be especially moving, but it is well crafted and excellent family entertainment.
Brothers Grimm, The	In this rendition, the famous brothers are swindlers who first create supernatural phenomena, then arrive in town as the saviors capable of vanquishing the threat of local witches and goblins. When finally they are faced with the real thing, they are somewhat ill equipped to deal with the problem. I thought that Terry Gilliam pulls off the look of the film and the creepiness without an overreliance on CG effects to dominate the story.
El Crimen Perfecto	Very funny Spanish film about a womanizing department store manger who is in competition with another manager to become "floor manager." Something goes terribly wrong and a homely girl that the womanizer never paid attention to helps him out. Only now, she lords that over him in a cruel way but to a very comedic effect.
Serenity	I've never seen the show, Firefly, on which this movie is based. That's too bad as the movie is a very fun and engaging sci-fi adventure. It's a bit confusing at first, getting the story and characters straight, but it doesn't take long to sort out. The characters are likeable and seem real enough at times that you do care about them.
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit	Completely fun and safe for kids while being smart enough for adults. They also showed a fun short film featuring the penguins from the movie Madagascar.
Night of the Living Dorks	Typical high school fun and games sex comedy except that the main characters also happen to find themselves among the undead. In German with English subtitles at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Animation Nations	Creative animation shorts from a variety of nations. Chicago International Film Festival.
Behind the Mirror	A young boy in India finds his life's calling over the objections of his father. Some story threads are left open ended and I like that in a film. English subtitles. Chicago International Film Festival.
Fever, The	A twenty-something in Italy takes a job as a local beauracrat even though he knows he isn't being true to his spirit. He tries to sort things out while facing the machinations of his boss, his mother and friends. In Italian with English subtitles. Chicago International Film Festival.
Capote	Good characterization of Truman Capote during the development of the book, In Cold Blood. Phillip Seymour Hoffman does an excellent job portraying Capote as a manipulative, self-absorbed literary artist who, after looking to try to defend one of the perps decides that his book will be better off with an ending ...
Night of the Hunter	Dated period film with Robert Mitchum playing a malevolent preacher out to steal $10,000 and maybe kill a couple of children in the process. He is no stranger to murder and has the letters L-O-V-E tattooed on the fingers of one hand while H-A-T-E is tattooed on the other. The film is quirky and you get a feeling that it was quite edgy for its time.
Zathura	This film could have been good. I thought the boys were irritating, the astronaut seemed out of place, and it did not seem to be firing on all cylinders as a film.
Shopgirl	Steve Martin latest "L.A. Story." This time, he is a wealthy businessman who sweeps a young sales girl from Sax off her feet. They have an intimate relationship but he keeps her at a bit of a distance. He thinks she understands how he wants the relationship to be and she thinks it's something different. In the end, he observes that it was all just life. I'm a big fan of Steve Martin and I thought this film was good, but not great.
Rent	I haven't seen the stage play so I've nothing to compare the film with in that regard. The music is not going to leave you with any catchy tunes running through your head. The subject is edgy with half the main characters battling HIV and including alterative lifestyles, cross dressing, poverty and the Bohemian life. It's not something most movie goers can relate directly to, nor, I suspect, do most of the musical audience.
New York Doll	Engaging documentary about a one-time, pre-punk, glam rocker, removed from the business by thirty years. He's getting back with the surviving members of his old band, the New York Dolls, for a concert in England. The story is moderately triumphant but more about coming to terms with what life has dealt him and mending fences.
King Kong	Disappointing, yet successful attempt to bring the legendary King Kong to life set in the time of the original film, 1933. The acting is good and Kong is very sympathetic. There are too many little problems with the story. I didn't like the mix of dinosaurs with Kong, which, while remaining true to the original, just doesn't make sense for more sophisticated audiences. Many of the action elements are too unbelieveable and there is a scene with worms and giant insects that is too gross to want to see again. I really looked forward to this film but would not watch it again.
Aeon Flux	I don't know the story but now I'm interested in renting the animated version to see more. As a sci-fi, quirky futuristic action film, I thought the story held its own fairly well.
White Christmas	This is the classic Bing Crosby film shown on the big screen at the Music Box in Chicago. Prior to the film, the audience engages in a Christmas music sing along and is treated to a very dated, weird movie short. The audience really gets into the holiday classic and applauds the musical numbers. However, there is some inexplicable laughter at some of the dated elements of the film. I thought it showed a surprising lack of respect for the movie. Afterall, why are you there if not to enjoy the film for what it is? Overall, I thought it was a worthwhile venture and I can see why some people include it in their holiday traditions.
Good Night and Good Luck	Interesting film about the crusade that Edwarw R. Murrow carried out to call attention to the tactic of then Senator Joe McCarthy. The film reminds us that our democracy is a tenuous relationship that can be seriously underminded by power hungry fanatics.
Memoirs of a Geisha	This is a fairly standard story of unrequited love. I had read a review of the film that was not particularly positive and this is not the film I had set out to see, but ended up seeing because of the timing. Perhaps because my expectations were fairly low, I thought it was rather well done. The set pieces and all are convincing enough so the production isn't lacking for quality. The principle actresses do a good job and that says something in that none of them are Japanese (none of the pricinple three roles are acted by Japanese women.) The film is primarily in English and it has something of a Hollywood ending where a true Asian film would more likely end tragically.